Rotary disintegrator



Nov. 25, 1969 Filed Sept. 5, 1967 F. WAGENEDER ROTARY DI S INTEGRATOR 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 25, 1969 F. WAGENEDER 3,480,214

ROTARY DISINTEGRATOR Filed Sept. 5, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Franz Wageneder IN VEN TOR.

Attorney Nov. 25, 1969 F. WAGENEDER 3,480,214

ROTARY DISINTEGRATOR Filed Sept. 5, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VE NTOR: Franz Wageneder Kms BYKUL Attorney Nov. 25, 1969 F. WAGENEDER 3,480,214

ROTARY DISINTEGRATOR Filed Sept. 5, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Franz Wageneder /NVENTQR Nov. 25, 1969 F. WAGENEDER 3,480,214

ROTARY DISINTEGRATOR FiledSept.l 5, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 5- Fig.7

IN VEN TORI Franz Wageneder Attorney Nov. 25, 1969 F. wAGENr-:DER 3,480,214

ROTARY DISINTEGRATOR Filed Sept. 5, 1967 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR: Franz Wageneder Fig 8 United States Patent 3,480,214 RGTARY DISINTEGRATOR Franz Wageneder, Josef-Grimps-Strasse 6, Laakirchen, Austria Filed Sept. 5, 1967, Ser. No. 665,448 Claims priority, application Austria, Oct. 7, 1966, A 9,401/66 Int. Cl. B02c 13/13 U.S. Cl. 241--185 10 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A rotary disintegrator, such as a rock crusher in which a rotor with peripherally mounted breaker blades turns about a horizontal axis, is provided with a pair of swingable grates disposed below the rotor with a curvature approximating that of the blade orbit, the two grates being separated from each other by a small gap at the nadir of the rotor and forming two independently adjustable clearances for the goods to be comminuted. The second grate may have its entrance edge disposed slightly below the level of the discharge edge of the first grate to intercept larger fragments accelerated across the gap; above the exit of the ascending clearance formed between the rotor and the second grate a deflector plate intercepts all particles not previously discharged.

My present invention relates to a rotary disintegrator, such as a rock crusher or hammermill, serving for the comminuation of solid materials into particles of predetermined maximum size adapted to clear the interstices of a curved grate extending along the orbit of a set of peripheral blades on a horizontal positioned rotor.

As the rotor turns on its axis, the grate defines with the blade orbit a clearance which converges in the direction of rotation and which subjects the larger fragments of the entrained solids to the crushing action of the -blades acting against the bars .of the grate. As long as the blades and the bars are relatively new, the width of this clearance can be easily maintained within the required tolerances. With progressive wear of the parts, however, the percentage of the finer particles passed by the grate dirninshes and the yield of the disintegrator decreases. At the same time, an increasing proportion of the treated material experiences indirect grinding between other particles, rather than between the rotor blades and the grate, which adds to the frictional resistance encountered by the rotor, thus further lowering the eiciency of the system.

Although the aforedescribed drawbacks can be mitigated by a repeated readjustment of the grate with reference to the rotor, this solution is not entirely satisfactory because the parts do not wear so evenly that the original relationship can be restored by a change of position.

It is, therefore, the general object of my present invention to provide an improved disintegrator .of the type described in which the aforestated disadvantages are avoided.

I have found, in accordance with this invention, that the Wear of lthe disintegrator parts engaged in the crushing process (i.e. the rotor blades and the grate bars) can be materially retarded if the single converging clearance heretofore provided between the grate and the blade orbit is subdivided into two consecutive clearances formed between -that orbit and two separate curved grates. The first grate will then serve mainly for a coarse precomminution with separation .of all the fine particle sizes as well as entrained sand, rubble and the like from the bulk of the mass; the second grate then receives the already 3,480,214 Patented Nov. 25, 1969 ICC precomminuted material so that it, too, does not have to perform more than a fraction of the task conventionally assigned to a single grate.

Thus, according to an important feature of my invention, the two grates are so disposed that the discharge end of the clearance formed between the first grate and the blade orbit, which can be Iof substantially constant width, is narrower than the entrance end of the converging clearance defined by the second grate and the orbit, the two clearances being separated by a small peripheral gap which preferably is located at the nadir of the rotor. Through this gap, as Well as through the spaces between the bars of the first grate, drop the particles which do not require further comminution; the othler, heavier fragments are accelerated sufficiently to clear the gap and are intercepted by the second grate for further entrainment and grinding.

Thus, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, the first grate extends along the lower quadrant of the blade orbit at the descending side of the blades while the second grate hugs the lower quadrant on the ascending side, this latter grate having its entrance edge disposed at a level lower than that of a confronting discharge edge of the first grate so as to lie beneath the trajectories of the heavier particles emerging more or less horizontally from the outlet end of the first clearance. Fragments that are not sufficiently comminuted even at the second grate leave the second clearance in a generally upward direction and are intercepted by an inclined deilector plate (including an vangle of, say, 10 to 30 with the horizontal) directing them away from the rotor so as to prevent their further entrainment. These latter particles, which may include foreign bodies resistant to the crushing action of the rotor blades, may be caused to drop into a separate receptacle or, if commingled with the remainder of the comminuted mass, may be subsequently removed therefrom fbyshifting.

`Conventional electric and/or magnetic checking devices may be used, of course, at the input of the disintegrator to detect and remove metallic objects. Nevertheless, large refractory chunks may on occasion enter the system and interfere with its proper operation; for this reason I prefer to provide an independent resilient mounting for each grate, advantageously with biasing springs urging the grates toward the rotor and detent means, e.g. in the form of screws, positively limiting the extent of\ such displacement. By pivotally supporting the first grate for swinging movement about an axis at or slightly above the level of the rotor axis, I can readily vary the effective width of the first clearance and also compensate for wear. The second grate, advantageously, may be mounted on a carriage within a compartment separated by a partition from the grinding chamber of the disintegrator, this carriage allowing for both horizontal and vertical as well as angular adjustment of that grate to facilitate changing the width of the intergrate gap and varying the effective width and rate of convergence .of the second clearance.

For purposes of ease of accessibility in the case of inspection, replacement or repair, I prefer to `subdivide the disintegrator housing into two portions substantially along a plane vertically bisecting the rotor, the two portions being normally locked to each other by manually or otherwise disengageable mating formations such asa `set of slotted lugs cooperating with respective tenons. When detached from each other, the portions may be moved apart to accommodate, for example, a working platform that may be suspended from an overhead crane or may be rested on the split housing portions. In this manner, access can also be had to a breaker plate carried on the support for the first grate, this plate being preferably symmetrical and, therefore, reusable in a reversed position after unilateral wear.

Another feature of my invention resides in the provision of an elevated base supporting the rotor and its drive motor, this base lying for the most part near the level of the rotor axis so as not to interfere with the swingable support for the first grate. In the region of the rotor axis the base forms a pair of dependent yokes carrying bearin gs for the rotor shaft. Advantageously, the base consists of a pair of rails, integral with the aforementioned yokes, for the guidance of the movable housing portion.

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a disintegrator embodying the present improvement, shown in its operating position;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the machine as seen in the direction of arrow II in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a detail view, drawn to a larger scale, of an unlocking mechanism for the portions of the split machine housing seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the machine in the position of FIG. 1 but drawn to a larger scale and showing the housing doors open to expose its interior;

FIG. 7 is a top view, taken substantially on the line VII-VII of FIG. 1, of the two grates as seen upon removal of the overlying rotor; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the two housing portions in their separated position.

The machine shown in the drawing has a housing composed of a fixed portion 1 and a movable portion 2. A set of baffle plates 3 are xedly disposed, at various angles, above a rotor 8 having a horizontal shaft 8' and a set of peripheral beater blades 9; the cylindrical orbit of these blades, centered on the rotor axis O, has been indicated at C.

A horizontal rod 4, journaled in opposite walls of the housing portion 2, serves as a pivot for a plurality of beams 5 swingably mounted thereon, these beams supporting a breaker plate 6 and a set of bars 7a which constitute a rst grate extending along the lower quadrant of orbit C on the descending side of rotor 8. The curved surface S' (FIG. 6) collectively dened by these bars is almost concentric with the orbit C and delimits therewith a rst clearance which, if desired, may be adjusted to converge slightly in the direction of rotation. Another set of bars 7b, mounted on similar beams 15, constitute a second grate with a collective curved surface S which defines with the orbit C a second clearance converging in the direction of rotation and extending along the lower `quadrant of that orbit on the ascending side of the rotor. The discharge edge 7 of the rst grate, formed by the last bar 7a thereof, generally lies above the level of the entrance edge 7 of the second grate, formed by the first bar 7b. The two grates are separated from each other by a gap 17 of adjustable width.

I shall now describe the control mechanism for adjusting the gap 17 as well as the clearance between orbit C and grate surface S (see also FIGS. 2 and 3). This mechanism is disposed within a compartment 22 of housing portion 1 and includes two centrally positioned pressure screws 31, 31 each flanked by a pair of retaining screws 29 and 29', the screws 31 and 31 acting through conical springs 30, 30' upon a pair of yokes 57, 57 which are hinged at 32, 32' to a carriage 33 having wheel mounts 34, 34 rolling on two pairs of horizontal rails 35, 35. A pair of generally upright screws are supported by thrust bearings 16 on the bottom of carriage 33 and threadedly engage respective nuts 24 rigid with extensions 23 of beams 15 which carry the grate bars 7b, these extensions passing through an aperture 58 in a partition 21 separating the compartment 22 from the grinding space occupied by rotor S. Aperture 58 is obstructed in a dusttight manner by a slidable lid 60. The wheel mounts 34, 34 are pivotally secured, with play, to the hinged rods 32, 32 of carriage 33 so that the latter can tilt within certain limits as well as move horizontally under the control of pressure screws 31, 31' and detent screws 29, 29'; at the same time, rotation of screws 25 allows for a generally vertical displacement of nuts 24 and, there-by, of grate mounting 15, the latter rotation being brought about either manually via a hand wheel 26 or automatically with the aid of a reversible electric motor 28 via a transmission belt 27.

A somewhat similar arrangement is provided for the control of the clearance between orbit C and grate surface S. The beams 5 supporting the bars 7a are articulated through links 14 with respective bell-crank levers 13 pivoted on a rod 50 which is tixedly disposed in a cornpartment 51 of housing portion 2. Links 14 pass through an aperture 52 in a partition 53, the aperture being made dusttight by a lid 54 which is guided for vertically sliding motion in substantially the same manner as lid 60. The free ends of lever 13 are overlain by a plate 56 receiving the thrust of a conical spring 11 which is stressed by a control screw 10. Retaining screw 12 rests against the top of compartment 51 while engaging the pressure plate 56 to limit the downward stroke thereof. Thus, the screw assemblies 10, 12 and 29, 31 (or 29', 31') operate in similar ways to exert a resilient positioning force upon the two grates 7a and 7 b which are therefore free to yield outwardly if a large chunk becomes wedged between the rotor 8 and the grate bars.

The breaker plate 6 on beams 5 has a symmetrical profile so as to be reversible for continued use after excessive wear on one side.

A deflector plate 20 is disposed just below the inlet for the charge to be comminuted, this inlet being here shown as including a chute 18 which can be removed to give access to an entrance duct 19 adapted to be connected to a blower or the like for the admission of, say, an air stream with entrained solids. Plate 20 is inclined at a small angle, here about 20, with reference to the horizontal and serves to intercept particles which rise above grate 7b, i.e. insufficiently comminuted fragments or foreign objects. These particles are directed against the partition 21 along which they descend for removal from the grinding chamber, as by dropping into a separate receptacle not shown.

The housing portions 1 and 2 normally meet at a vertical plane P which includes the rotor axis O. A mechanism for releasa-bly interconnecting these portions, best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, comprises a set of lugs 37 which are mounted on transverse ribs 61 of housing portion 2 and have slots 37 normally engaged by tenons 36 on bars 62 which are vertically guided along rails 63 of housing portion 1. Tenons 36 can be disengaged from 'lugs 37 by an upward movement of bars 62 which for this purpose are provided with racks 41 engaged by respective pinions 40. These pinions are keyed to shafts 64 which are coupled via gears 65, 66 with a throughgoing horizontal shaft 39 carrying a pair of hand wheels 38. Shaft 39 also has keyed to it a ratchet wheel 42 cooperating With a pawl 43 for arresting the blocks 62 in their elevated position. Upon a raising of block 65 suicient to release the lugs 37, housing portion 2 may be moved away from portion 1, i.e. to the left as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 8, to give access to the grate 7a and the rotor 8. The movable housing portion 2 is supported for this purpose, by means of rollers 45, on horizontal rails 44 which lie at the level of rotor shaft 8 and have depending yoke portions 48 supporting bearings 55 for the rotor shaft. A drive motor for the rotor, mounted on shaft 8', has been indicated at 67 in FIG. 6. The outward and inward movement of housing portion 2 can be brought about by the energization of a reversible motor 46 driving a nut 68 in engagement with a lead screw 47 which is lixedly mounted on the machine base 69.

Doors 49a, 49b, shown open in FIG. 6, are respectively hinged to housing portions 2 and 1 at partitions 53 and 21.

The beater blades 9 are shown mounted on the body of rotor 8 with the aid of wedges 70.

The machine herein `disclosed may be used, for example, in the comminution `of granite or other rock fragments of an order of magnitude of 30 to 150 mm. With proper adjustment of the two clearances and of the intervening gap 17, a product having particle sizes up to, say, 3, 5 or 8 mm. may be obtained. When using a motor with a power rating of 130 kw., 60 tons of charge per hour can be reduced to fines of up to 5 mm. particle size; with a maximum size of 8 mm., the output reaches 80 tons per hour. This corresponds to a comminution ratio between about 1:20 and 1:30.

I have found that, with the present improvement, the costs of maintenance and repair for a given throughput rate are approximately halved.

If desired, the second grate 7b can be placed so far away from the first grate 7a and the rotor 8 that only the first grate is effective in the crushing process, as when only a coarse comminution is required. The second grate may, however, also Vbe used in such case as a backup device for the first grate, receiving from it for further processing the larger fractions (eg. upwards of 30 mm.) which somehow escaped comminution in the first clearance.

If moist or strongly contaminated material is to be treated, the first grate 7a may be adjusted to provide a relatively wide clearance in order to avoid clogging. After the finer fractions and the sand have been removed at or ahead of the gap 17, the remaining mass is crushed to the requisite extent in the clearance of the suitably adjusted second grate.

Modifications of the specific arrangement described and illustrated, e.g. as to the nature of the means for unlocking and relatively displacing the two housing portions, are of course possible without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rotary disintegrator for the comminution of solids, comprising a housing; a rotor journaled in said housing for rotation about a horizontal axis, said rotor being provided with a peripheral array of breaker blades centered on said axis; drive means for unidirectionally rotating said rotor; a first curved grate disposed adjacent a lirst sector of the orbit of said blades for defining with said orbit a rst clearance; and a second curved grate disposed adjacent a second sector of said orbit for deiining therewith a second clearance converging in the direction of rotation of said rotor, said second clearance having an entrance end wider than the exit end of said first clearance and being slightly spaced from the latter in peripheral direction for intercepting solid particles accelerated across the intervening gap.

2. A disintegrator as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second grates extend along the two lower quadrants of said orbit, said intervening gap being located substantially at the nadir of said orbit, said second grate having an entrance edge at a level below that of a confronting discharge edge of said first grate.

3. A disintegrator as defined in claim 2, further cornprising a deflector plate inclinedly positioned above sa-id second grate for intercepting particles emerging from said second clearance and directing said particles away from said orbit.

4. A disintegrator as defined in claim 2, further cornprising a swingable support for said first grate having a pivot ahead of the entrance end of said first clearance, and a breaker plate on said support in the vicinity of said pivot.

5. A disintegrator as defined in claim 4 wherein Said second grate is provided with mounting means independent of said support, further comprising first and second adjusting means respectively coupled with said support and said mounting means.

6. A disintegrator as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said adjusting means comprises spring means urging the respective grate toward said orbit, adjustable detent means for limiting the displacement of said respective grate by said spring means, and transmission means for retracting said respective grate against the force of said spring means.

7. A disintegrator as defined in claim 5 wherein said housing has a wall with an opening traversed by an extension of said mounting means, said second adjusting means being disposed beyond said wall in engagement with said extension.

8. A disintegrator as defined in claim 7 wherein said second adjusting means includes a carriage disposed for substantially horizontally movement toward and away from said wall, a screw pivotally mounted on said carriage, and a nut rigid with said extension threadedly engaged by said nut for independently changing the size of said gap and the elevation and angular position of said second grate.

9. A disintegrator as defined in claim 5 wherein said housing is divided into two portions substantially along a plane vertically bisecting said rotor, one of said portions being separable from the other -for giving access to the interior of said housing, said portions being provided with mating formations interengageable for holding said portions locked to each other.

10. A disintegrator as defined in claim 9 wherein said housing is provided with a base for said drive means extending generally above said axis and forming a depending yoke in the region of said axis, said drive means including a motor having bearing means in line with said axis supported on said yoke, said base forming rail means -for the guidance of said one of said portions during displacement thereof relative to the other housing portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS GERALD A. DOST, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 241--287l 

